Heating system appliance



Oct. 10, 1939. C w c s 2,175,386

HEATING SYSTEM APPLIANCE Filed July 13, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet l couasnsz 49 (Zarezzce Wzranc'zls Oct. 10, 1939. c. w. FRANCIS HEATING SYSTEM APPLIANCE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor Filed July 13, 1937 [IQ/972168 W "razaais A iiorneys Oct. 10, 1939. c. w. FRANCIS HEATING SYSTEM APPLIANCE Filed July 13, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Oct. 10, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

The present invention appertains to new and useful improvements in heating systems such as are employed for producing heat radiation in building structure, this application being a continuation in part of my co-pending application Serial No. 79,333, filed May 12, 1936, and allowed May 7, 1937.

The important object of the invention is to provide a heating system of conventional design with an appliance whereby pressure and vacuum can be economically produced for converting new or old type systems into more modern designs.

The principal object of the present invention over my co-pending application Serial No. 79,333 is to provide in the appliance means whereby the entire appliance can be used for producing pressure when it becomes necessary to clean the usual boiler flues.

These and various other important objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent to the reader of the following specification.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 represents a diagrammatic view disclosing the various connections between the details involved.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the power plant.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the power plant and connection with respect thereto.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional View through one of the cylinders of the power plant.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view on the line 55 of Figure 3.

Figure 6 is a cross sectional view on the line 6-6 of Figure 3.

Figure 7 is a sectional view through a check valve.

Referring to the drawings wherein like numerals designate like parts it can be seen in Figure 1 that numerals 5--6 represent radiators which may be in different rooms of a building.

Numeral I refers to the boiler having the steam conduit 8 extending therefrom. Branch pipes extend from the conduit 8 to the air controlled valves I0 and from there to the radiator 6.

Numeral II represents the condensation tank which has the float I2 therein, This float is adapted to operate the contactor I3 which makes or breaks the switch I4 located in the battery circuit I 5 with the motor I6, which motor drives the pump I! having communication by way of the pipe I8 with the bottom of the condensation tank II.

At this point it will be observed that a pipe I la extends from the tank II to the atmosphere and has the check valve Ilb therein of the flap type for passing any pressure resulting from gravitation in the system to the atmosphere, which especially occurs in the event the plant generally referred to by numeral 26 shuts down. A pressure gauge I Ic is provided on the tank I I.

The return pipes l9 extend from the radiators 5--6 to the main return extending to the condensation tank I I. The pump I'I serves to pump surplus fluid from the tank I I by way of pipe 2I back into the boiler "I.

Numeral 22 is the low pressure compressed air tank having a suitable safety valve 23 thereon. Numeral 24 is the outlet pipe from the tank 22 which extends to the conventional thermostatic units 24 and these serve to regulate the supply of air by way of the tube 25 to the compressed air controlled valves III of the radiators 56, so that when the temperature lowers to a point where heat is desired, the thermostats will permit air to fiow through the valves I0 and open the same so that the steam can circulate through the radiators.

The foregoing system is a substantially conventional system and its appliance generally referred to by numeral 26 which forms the invention involved here. This appliance is substantially shown in Figures 2 and 3 and consists of the compressor which may involve a plurality of cylinders 26a each equipped with cooling fins 2611.

This compressor has the head plate 28 suitably secured as at 29 to the upper portions of the cylinders;

As is clearly shown in Figure 1, for each of the cylinders, a T-fitting 30 extends upwardly from the plate 28. At one side of the compressor a manifold 3| is located while at the opposite side a manifold 32 is located. At the first mentioned side of the compressor is also located the manifold 33 while at the second mentioned side of the compressor the manifold 34 is located.

Pipes extend fro'mthe manifold 3I by way of the fittings 30 to connect with the manifold 32, while pipes 3636 extend from the manifold 33 by way of the T-fittings 31-3! to connect with the manifold 34.

The pipes have check valves 38 therein passing fiuid only in the direction of the manifold 32, while the pipes 36 have check valves therein passing fluid only in the direction of the manifold 33.

A pipe line 39 extends from the manifold 33 to the low pressure tank 22, while a pipe 40 extends from the pipe 39 and by way of the pipe 4| to the high pressure tank 42, from which extends the pipe line 43 to the fitting 44 whereby a hose line 45 can be connected thereto and equipped with a nozzle 46 for cleaning out the tube 4'! of the boiler I when desired.

The pipe line 48 extends from the tank II by way of the condenser 49 to the pipe 50 which has the check valve therein. A cut off cook 52 is provided in the end of this pipe 50 where the air inlet filter 53 is also located.

Suitable lubricating cups 54 can be provided on this pipe 50. As can be seen in Figure 1, the pipe 50 also communicates with the manifold 3|.

One end of the manifold is closed while the other end is provided with the air intake filter 55 and a lubricator 56 is provided in this end of the manifold 34.

One end of the manifold 32 is closed while the other end connects with the pipe extension 51 to the atmosphere and in this extension is the cut off valve 58. The manifold 32 also extends by way of the pipe 59 to connect to the high pressure tank pipe 4|.

In the pipe line 39 beyond the pipe 40 is the cut off valve 50 while between the manifold 33 and the pipe 40 a check valve 6| is provided.

The compressor 26 can be driven by an electric motor 62 or other suitable means. A check valve 63 is provided in the pipe 40 passing fluid only toward the pipe 4| of the high pressure tank.

It can now be seen that for ordinary use the cylinders under the fitting 31 (two in number) are used for compressing air to the low pressure tank 22 and these, of course take care of the air valves Ill. The other four cylinders are used for creating suction on the tank II by way of the pipeline 48 and condenser 49. When the system is in this normal operative position, the valve 52 is closed and the valve 58 is open. Furthermore, the valve 60 is also open.

However, the engineer of a building who is desirous of quickly building up pressure and thoroughly and efiiciently cleaning the boiler tubes, may close the valve 58 as well as the valve 60. When this takes place and the compressor is in operation, air passed across the fittings 30 to the manifold 32 will not pass to the atmosphere by way of the extension 51 but will pass along the pipe 59 to the high pressure tank 42, air being acquired by way of the inlet 53. At the same time the cylinders under the fittings 31 are forcing air to the manifold 33 which passes along the pipe 40 to the pipe 4| and high pressure tank 42. In this manner all of the cylinders of the compressor are employed for the time desired in charging the high pressure tank 42 and when sufficient pressure has been developed and the work of cleaning the fines consumated, the system can be restored by again opening the valves 58 and 60 and closing the valve 52.

While the foregoing specification sets forth the invention in specific terms, it is to be understood that numerous changes in the shape, size and materials may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In combination with a heating system, an air and suction plant including a plurality of cylinders provided with pistons therein, said systems including a plurality of radiators having compressed air controlled shut-off valves, a vacuum manifold connected with the return of the system and having branches pipes therefrom communicating with certain cylinders of ,the plant, a compressed air tank, a manifold connected with the compressed air tank, thermostatic control means for each radiator, a conduit from the tank to each of the air controlled valves, said thermostatic control means being located in each of the conduits for regulating the air supply to said air controlled valves of the radiators, connections between the last-mentioned manifold and certain others of the said cylinders, said last-mentioned connections being provided with check valves arranged so that the pistons will pump air into the tank, and check valves in the pipes from the first-mentioned manifold, said first-mentioned manifold being provided with an air outlet through which air can discharge to maintain a vacuum in the said first-mentioned manifold and the return side of the system.

2. In a system of the character described including a boiler; a low pressure tank for normal use in the system, a high pressure tank, a power plant including suction producing means for the system and pressure producing means for the low pressure tank, a line from the high pressure tank for delivering a cleaning pressure to the boiler, said power plant being convertible totally into a pressure producing plant for applying pressure to the high pressure tank, said power plant including a plurality of work cylinders certain of which being adapted to normally supply pressure for the low pressure tank and the others suction for the system.

3. In a system of the character described including a boiler; a low pressure tank for normal use in the system, a high pressure tank, a power plant including suction producing means for the system and pressure producing means for the low pressure tank, a line from the high pressure tank for delivering a cleaning pressure to the boiler, said power plant being convertible totally into a pressure producingplant for supplying pressure to the high pressure tank, said power plant including a plurality of work cylinders certain of which being adapted to normally supply pressure to the low pressure tank and others suction for the system, a piping arrangement from the cylinders to the low and high pressure tanks and valvular means in the piping arrangement operative selectively to connect the air exhausting sides of all the work cylinders with the high pressure tank.

CLARENCE W. FRANCIS. 

